AS - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, December 29, 1993

MP Scott gives up

on some freebies

ALONG WITH most Reform
MPs, Skeena’s Mike Scott will be
tuming down a wide range of par-
jiamentary perks and privileges. :

The Reform caucus recently ap-
proved a serics of recommenda- .

tions on perks.

All Reform: MPs -are- ‘expected

to go along. with the recom-
mendations, although: they ‘ are not
bound by them..." "y

The list of, subsidized perks and
services Reformers “will turn
down includes: "a,

framing, a hair dresser, , second-
language lessons | for spouse and

staff, gym services, shoe shines, ..
massage | Service, . room service, ;

credit ‘charging: ‘privileges at the
parliamentary . Testavirant, beauty
salon, the: liquor’ store,’ ‘and the
National Defence: medical centre.

Scott said MPs use the medical

cenire as a hospital where .they

can get important surgery done

ilor shop onl
Parliament”” ” Hil, ‘free. picture

immediately, and avoid waiting,
lists for treatment elsewhere.”

‘It basically amounts to & two-
tiered health care system,” Scott
said,

Reformers will ‘seck reform of |

the MPs pensions, and are aiming :

to outlaw double dipping. - ~

MPs aré forced to deduct 11 per
cent of their pay to contribute to, ©
the fully indexed tax-free pension
scheme... ...°..

“*T wish they wouldn't deduct il
and let me contribute to RRSPs
like every other Canadian,” Scott
said.

If the: - pension syster. isn’t -
changed, Scott will opt out of the »
pension program .when-he Ieaves
office, taking out his own coniti-
butions plus four per cent interest,

He said Reformers favour al-
lowing MPs to set up private pen-
sion plans and that those be sub-
ject to the same income ‘lax rules -
that govern all other. Canadians.

The Reform caucus also called
on MPs to take a 10. ‘per. cent pay

‘receipts for.

Mike Scott

th the | pension system isn’t

- changed, Scott will opt out
of the pension program
when he leaves office, tak-

ing out his own contribu-

tions plus four per cent in-

terest.

cut as a symbelic gesture. .
“You can’t actually take a pay ~
cut,’ Scott says. “You! re. forced
to take the money.’”’
As a result, cach. MP has a_
choice of donating the money to a

‘federal debt reduction account, a

charity of their choice, or they
can underlake to pay income tax
on the portion of Iheir expense
account that they. don’t , SuPPIY

Scott said he and olher Reform
MPs underlake io use any ac-..
cumulated “‘frequent ~ flier’?
points to pay for legitimate flights ©
on parliamenlary business, not for
personal holidays.’

He said cach Reform MP will
make a detailed “annual public
disclosure. on the Use oft thelr
travel points.

Scotl says he doesn’t’ rule out
flying business: class occasional-
ly.

He said he’ ll: ay economy class
most of the lime. But if he has
some work he can do on the
flight, he may clect to spend extra
money (an exira $178 for a round
rip flight “to Ollawa) for the
roomier seals,

“PL be*deciding on-a-case by
case basis,”? he said. .

-On the list of perks that are still
allowed is the. use of the par-
liamenlary . restaurant and

- cafeterias.

Scott said Reformers compared

‘the: prices charged to the prices at
~ similar private reslavrants and

- cafeterias” and: found little. dif. . |
. ference, In some cases the dining ”
“on. Parliament’ Hill. was: even:
pricier, despite the $2 million an- -

nual subsidy,
They concluded, therefore, that
it wasn’t much’ of a perk and

" wouldn’t be banned.

“We just can’t figure out why a
taxpayer subsidy .is required to
run the place,’’ Scott said. “It’s a
very inefficient operation and it
shouldn’t be run like that.

Scott doubted he would be
going there oflen, however. -

“Tye had a meal there once and
I didn’t find the food there partic-
ularly good anyway.”

The Reform caucus also author-
ized use of VIA Rail passes by its
MPs. in cases when'it would be
cheaper to take the train some-
where for official business than to
fly. .

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